Luminous sign



March 1, 1932 NEUHUT ET AL 1,847,534

LUMINOUS' SIGN Filed Sept. 1, 192a P nama Mar. 1, 1932 PATENT OFFICEUNITED STATES EH11 N'EUE'UT AND FRIEDRICH PETROWITZ, F VIENNA, AUSTRIA;SAID PETBO'WITZ ASSIGNOR '10 SAID NEUHU'I Luminous sren Applicationfiled September 1, 1928, Serial No. 303,596, and in Austria December 24,1927.

This invention. relates to improvements in illumination or luminoussign.

The known gas-filled illumination tubes have proved a great success inconnection with the illuminated announcements. The peculiareflect of thesame essentially is based on the fact, that not a plain surface is thesource of light but a quite round tubular surface which, in comparisonto the width to be seen by the viewer; is of a far greater area,- sothat the light radiates towards all sides with the same strength andwith a peculiar luminescence, without causing a shadow to be seen fromany place.

The present invention has for its object to attain the same effect in anovel, simpler and less expensive manner, generally this being attainedin that the announcements to be illuminated, thus words, letters,numerals,

2o figures, designs and the like of any size and shape and consisting ofartificial resin or any other transparent material, are produced in aplastic manner and are mounted on a convenient base in such a manner,that they extend beyond the same and, on being illuminated from theback, the light radiates equally without making or throwing any shadowin all directions and of the colouration of the material as employed, sothat the viewer has so the impression, that the intensely illuminatedsigns are freely suspended in the air. The e ect is increased bysuitable means or measures, which serve to prevent the luminous powerorthe luminescence'of the used material and'the appearance of light-spaceswithin the plastic signs and to increase and difluse the light emittedby the source of light.

- Of course the similarity between the effect according to the presentinventionand that of gas-filled tubes depends on the proper or correct 0tical construction of the'signs.

Thus t epresent invention consists essentially in that designs orletters formed by strips of transparent material of full section arearranged in recesses of the opaque base of a light box so that theyextend through said base to the outside of the light box.

, The outwardly extending part of the strips has a cylindrically curveduninterrupted sur-.

face and a source of light disposed behind the transparent,nontransparent or differently base radiates through the plastic signsonly so that a kind of glowing plastic with an equal shadowless light isproduced.

The base may consist of any convenient '55 coloured translucentmaterial.

Incase a transparent plate is used, all places where signs'are notarranged have ,to

,be covered by a'body or opaque colour "or by a material which preventsthe passage of the rays of light;

If nontransparent, plates are used, they have to bemade transparent atthe places where the signs have to be disposed.

The signs can be arranged on the bedplates thus prepared in any desiredmanner, and also the kind of attachment of the signs to the base-platecan be carried out in different ways. According tothepresent inventionthe tubular or strip signsare fastened into the recesses of the baseplate.

If desired, the individual signs may be cast in suitable recesses of thebed-plate or the bed-plate may be cast to the finished signs.

In this way illumination boards are produced in which the tubular orstrip signs stand out of the bed-plate in a plastic man- Of course thetubularor strip-shape of the signs may be of any convenientconstruction. Favourable eflects are attained if the signs are ofcircular, lentil-shaped cross sectional area. Of course the signs may beof any other convenient cross sectional area,

provided they yield the optic appearance of a shadowless plastic glowingmember. The

surface may be smooth, roughor ribbed or may be provided with suitablesurface cuts. If desired hollowbodies or members may be inserted in theindividual signs and the' same may be partly filled with any suitableliquid for instance alcohol, in order to produce a fluctuating effect ofillumination by heating or boiling the liquid by means of the source oflight arranged behind the bedplate. In order to further increase theeffect of the intensely illuminated signs according to the presentinvention, means are provided which completely difl'use the light of thesource of light and absolutely prevent a 19.

I able means.

wrong refraction of light and theformation of light-spaces within thesigns. This 1s attained in that one or more plates, which difiuse thelight, are arranged between the signs and the source of light.- Howeverit is also of advantage to arrange a coat of transparent material on thebackside of the sign or to render dull this backside by suit- Thediffusion of the light can be efiected in a simple and effective way byinterposing a frosted disk.

In order to impart to the sign the correct appearance of aself-illuminating tube or strip it is frequently of advantage to shadeoil the tone of colour of the transparent signs by interposing betweenthe latter and the source of light suitably coloured plates or coats oftransparent material. 'In this way'also the colours of the signs may bevaried according to requirement and any desired colour-eifect may beproduced, for also irising luminous colours. The same effect can beproduced also by using coloured incandescent lamps.

Peculiar effects can be obtained also by using two or multi-colouredmasses or mate rials for producing the signs.

Of course the plates or disks above mentioned and serving for diffusingthe light can be employed also as base of the'desired colouration. I

The intensity of the source of light can be increased by the provisionof suitable refiectors.

I showing that the Some modes of carrying out the present invention areillustrated by way of example on the accompanying sheets of drawings inwhich Fig. 1 shows an broken away.

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in vertical section,

illuminated sign partly outwar y from the plane of the bed-plate. Figs.3 to 6 show by way of example lummous signs of dilferent cross-sectionalareas.

Fig. 7 shows a light diflusing disk inserted between the source ofillumination and the illuminated letter or character.

As shown in Fig. 1, the illuminated or luminous sign consists of acasing, mounted on a frame 1 and'the walls 4, 4 of which serve asbed-plates for the signs to be attached at both sides.

- invention, the bed-plate 4.- is further provided with a recess, intowhich can be removably fitted a sample of merchandise to illuminatedobject extends a fraction of the costs of filled luminous tubes,particularly in view of to the present which the lettering of the signhas reference. In this way the announcement and the orig inal articleitself can be arranged on the board.

The sign 5 can be secured to the bed-plate 4 in different ways. In theembodiment shown in Fig. 2, the sign or strip, extending beyond thebed-plate, is provided with a dovetailed extension at its back, whichserves for the attachment to the bed-plate. Of course also signs Withoutthis extension can be fixed in a most simple manner above the recessesor mounted on the bed-plate or inserted in recesses or cemented to thelatter or secured to the same in any convenient manner.

In order to increase the luminous effect of l the individual signs,further for producing particular colour-efl'ects as well as for coveringthe source of light and for preventing a wrong refraction of light andthe formation of light-spaces Withinthe plastic sign, the lightdiffusing colored plates are individually or in suitable combinationarranged between the signs 5 and the source of light 2.

A further effect is attained when using signs provided with a hollowinsertion 6 filled with a liquid 7, for instance alcohol. The alcoholevaporates owing to the heat emitted by the source of light and thevapours thereby produced give the appearance of a fluctuating light.

The shapes of the signs as illustrated in Figs. 3 to 7 are given by wayof example only and as direction for the correct construction ofthesigns. In the construction shown in Fig. 3 the signs 5 are of tubularshape and substantially freely suspended above the bedplate 4:, whichpermits the passage of the rays of light only below the sign 5.

The signs 5 are sunk into a bed-plate which is provided with suitablerecesses and does not permit the passage of the rays of light. In Fig. 3,the sign Figs. 4, 5 and 6 the signs are of semi-circular shape, in Fig.7 the sign is lentil shaped.

By a suitable choice and composition of the above means it is possibleto produce the character of the used material renders is of circularshape, in I luminous announcements of any convenient size in the shapeof glowing plastlc members,

possible announcements of any desired colour or combination of coloursand shapes, as well as the use of intermittent light or otherconsecutive luminous effects, the latter being tubes. ing to the presentinvention amount. only to a plant wit-h gas the necessity of alternatingcurrent which is notalways at dispo l, d therefore cables an have to belaid over long distances. Further the expensive' arrangement of high-tension impossible-in the case of gas-filled luminous The costs of aluminous board accord-- transformers is dispensed with. In the luminoussign according to the present invention the danger connected with theuse of high-frequenc current is dispensed With and the sign can e placedin operation by any kind of current by means of a simple plug.

We claim A luminous sign comprising a closed light box with asubstantially opaque bed-plate, a source of light -on one side of saidbed-plate, light diffusing members between the bedplate and the sourceof light, designs or letters in recesses of said bed-plate-formed fromstrips of transparent material of full section, extending through saidbed-plate to the outside of the light boX, the outwardly extending partof the strips having a substantially cylindrically curved uninterruptedsurface so as to give the appearance of selfluminous tubes with an equaland shadowless light.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

EMIL NEUHUT. v FRIEDRICH PETBOWITZ.

